This invention relates to alkoxysiloxanols and more particularly to alpha-alkoxy-omega-siloxanols. Such materials contain one relatively more reactive group (OH) and one relatively less reactive group (alkoxy); for this reason they have long been sought as intermediates in the synthesis of siloxanes. They have not, however, been available by any process known heretofore.
Several processes that might have been expected to lead to alkoxysiloxanols have instead produced other products. For example, linear and cyclic methylpolysiloxanes heated with methanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide gave instead trimethylalkoxysilanes and dimethyldimethoxysilanes (U.S. Pat Nos. 3,746,982 and 2,826,599). Cyclic trisiloxanes heated with n-octyl alcohol and toluenesulfonic acid in xylene gave dioctyloxytrisiloxanes and water as the principal products, even when the reaction was stopped at an early stage. [ See Sprung and Guenther J. Org. Chem. 26, 552 (1961)].